44 | theceomagazine.com
THE LAGATOI IS
THE OFFICIAL
EMBLEM OF
PORT MORESBY.
THE MULTI-
HULLED CANOE
IS KNOWN FOR
ITS CRAB-CLAW
SHAPED SAILS
THAT ARE
OFTEN MADE
FROM WOVEN
FLOOR MATS.The estate offers serviced accommodation
including one- and two-bedroom houses.
Each of these is fitted with a satellite
television, fridge, and wireless connectivity.
The Ravuvu residential area also offers
common facilities such as an outdoor
barbecue area, a comfortable shaded deck area
and an onsite gym. It prides itself on being
a more relaxed and secure alternative to the
country’s busy capital.
Speaking to Oxford Business Group, AES
Managing Director Dominic Avenell said,
“For a long time the concept of industrial“We enjoy dealing with AES
as we see a seller–buyer
relationship based on mutual
respect and willingness to
share. We have a shared
business approach which
fits our business model
which focuses on honesty,
transparency, quality and
maintenance of proper
standards.” – Ron Lane,
General Manager, Markham
Culvertsparks meant an area of the city that was
zoned for industrial use, whether for ports,
refineries or other industrial projects, but
the idea of combining residential segments
is slowly gaining ground in PNG.”
Dominic added that these new-generation
industrial parks “are turning into liveable
communities and satellite towns where
resident companies can take advantage of
the infrastructure needed for the growth
of their business”.
With the economic benefits of the
industrial corridor and an expansion into the
residential space, AES is poised to become
even bigger and better in the future.warehouse storage, haulage and cargo
handling services.
Also located in the park is a private
wharf, which was designed to minimise
congestion at Port Moresby’s main port.
Construction of the wharf began in 2012
and was supported by a US$4 million loan
from the International Finance Corporation,
a sister organisation of the World Bank.
The wharf primarily caters to the oil and gas
industry and provides services to small vessels
that have a draught of less than six metres.
Its presence has supported increased trade and
employment opportunities in the country.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF TRADING
IN PORT MORESBY
Prior to the 19th century, the area that is
now Port Moresby was inhabited by the
indigenous Motu Koitabuan peoples and used
as a key trading hub. As the land had poor
soil and little rain, the people would travel
in lagatois (multi-hulled canoes) from their
villages to the southeast coast each year, to
trade their clay pots for canoe logs and food
with the people in the Gulf of Papua. This
trading practice was referred to as the Hiri.
In 1873, English captain John Moresby
reached the land, claimed it for England and
named it after his father, Admiral Sir Fairfax
Moresby. The inner part of the area was
named Fairfax Harbour and the outer section,
Port Moresby. Over the years, the port has
continued to be a major trade centre and is
currently one of PNG’s fastest-growing cities.
Port Moresby’s trading significance is
further enhanced by PNG’s rich mineral and
oil resources. The country’s mineral fuels
account for 45 per cent of its total exports.
Northwest of Port Moresby lies the ‘industrial
corridor’ which houses several oil, gas and
related businesses. This includes oil giant
ExxonMobil’s PNG liquefied natural gas
plant; InterOil’s Napa Napa oil refinery; and
AES’s Ravuvu industrial park. This area is
considered a major logistics and industrial
corridor to drive the country’s growth.
HEADING INTO RESIDENTIAL
In addition to the industrial park, AES also
built the Ravuvu multi-residential estate.
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